Pale as Death
by SVUCSIWTRDOOLluver
Summary: A new DuCaine story from me! Based on the 4/19 episode, can't remember the name, but Calleigh's like a spirit while her body's in the hospital...this is Horatio's POV on the whole thing...definite Horatio/Calleigh romantic, but slight hints of E/C. Enjoy!


A one-shot based on the 4/19 episode of CSI: Miami can't remember the name, sorry! That was an amazing episode! Too bad Horatio didn't replace Eric in some of the scenes…lol. Written in first person POV, definite Horatio/Calleigh, and a few spoilers for the episode, but not the main murder plot, mostly just the personal stuff. BTW, I just reread this story and picked a random phrase for the title, I love doing that, ha-ha! Enjoy!

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"_She's still inside…"_

Ryan's words haunted me as I dashed inside the burning building, my only intent on finding the blonde Southern lady. I heard coughing; it tore at my heart and ripped open old wounds from the last time she'd been in a dangerous house fire.

When I'd almost lost her.

That was NOT going to happen this time. My voice harsh with emotion I shouted, "Calleigh!" Her blonde hair was just ahead of the fireman in front of me. An urge to shove him aside and get to my sooty angel came over me, but I fought it back desperately.

"We've got to go; we've got to go now!" The firemen yelled, grabbing Calleigh and hauling her out. My heart broke again as I knew I had to help the officer trapped in the building. Calleigh was going to be okay, she was going to be fine, I chanted to myself, and it helped as I rescued the officer.

I had no idea that Calleigh was in so much danger.

Mr. Wolfe came up to me, and didn't say much about Calleigh, so I assumed. I will never forgive myself for that. I assumed she was all right, and focused right on the investigation. That boy deserved justice; I had a feeling he hadn't set the fire.

When I got back to the lab, looking around for Calleigh, I discovered she was still at the hospital. Work quickly interrupted my debate on whether to go or would I just be in the way, and, I'm ashamed to say, Calleigh was pushed out of my immediate thoughts.

I finally, finally got a break from work, and Calleigh swam into the forefront of my mind. Quickly I boarded my Hummer and sped to the hospital, eventually receiving Calleigh's room number and going up the elevator. I heard one of my CSI's say,

"Someone call Horatio."

"She looks bad."

'_Oh dear God'_ was all I could think as my pace quickened. I walked up behind Jesse and Natalia, who immediately moved aside for me, something I was grateful for, yet too preoccupied to acknowledge.

There she lay. My beautiful, sleeping angel lying pale as death on the bed. Her hair spilled onto the pillow, glistening in the Miami sun, but her body was hooked up by wires and tubes to the machines. There were so many machines. I knew it wasn't good.

Slowly I approached her bed, taking in her face that I knew so well. Her eyelids shut, sleep-like, and her mouth was obstructed by a bulky object I realized was helping her breathe. A want to yank it out and trace her lips with my finger overcame me, but the fact that the interfering object was keeping her alive kept that want down.

I heard another pair of footsteps approach at a run, but I was unwilling to look away from her face. The newcomer's voice came to me, I didn't hear the words, but understood who they came from. Eric had returned. I felt joy at his return, but also a slight feeling of protectiveness.

Calleigh was _mine_. Not his.

Eric came into the room and stood at Calleigh's other side. Regretfully I tore my gaze up to his eyes, and unfortunately saw the unmistakable look of love in his eyes, love for my Calleigh. "She's going to make it." Eric stated, reaching down to touch her hand.

I couldn't stand for this, not while Calleigh was unconscious, unable to show whether she wanted Eric to hold her hand. When he had left her, she was heartbroken, something she kept carefully hidden. I had seen it, tried my best to help her through it all.

And now, here he is, expecting them to pick off where they had left? He was sadly mistaken. And he was lucky I had to go back to the case, or I would have spoken my mind, right then and there.

Without a word I rose to my feet and walked out, slipping my shades on; hiding my betraying eyes. They told the tale of my anger, my fear and yes, my hint of jealousy. No matter how hard I fought to keep it down, there it was, seeming to taunt me.

The case went on, twists and turns in every direction. We had seemingly run out of leads, but I received a call from Natalia, who had gone to check on Calleigh. "Calleigh's heart failed!" Her frantic words said to me, and in the middle of the hallway, I froze.

The color I had in my cheeks disappeared; I now looked as pale as Calleigh had earlier. My heart seemed to fail itself, my brain shut down, refusing to imagine life without my bright, shining star. "No…" I whispered. My brain, heart and body snapped into action as I blindly made my way down to my Hummer. Without hesitating, I flipped the sirens on, speeding towards the hospital.

When I arrived and took the stairs two, three at a time, I found her room, and looking through the glass, I saw Eric holding her as her eyes slowly fluttered shut. I managed to ignore Eric for that moment and focused on the fact that her chest was moving up and down. She was alive. Her lungs were expanding and contracting. Her heart was pumping.

She was _alive._

I focused on the doctor's words; she would be weak for a few hours, but would recover perfectly. My entire being relaxed, but almost immediately tensed up, seeing Eric still too close for comfort to the resting angel.

Her eyes opened, and my breathing hitched for a moment. I stepped up to the window, knowing that I would go in, only if she wanted me in.

I could have stood there all day, simply drinking in her appearance; she was healthier looking, with a little more color to her complexion. Her bright green eyes suddenly found mine, and she scribbled something onto a paper. Eric came out, handing it to me. He said something about dreams, but I was focused on that paper.

It solved the case. Calleigh had solved the case.

With one last brilliant smile for my angel, I disappeared down to my Hummer. The sooner this case was closed, the sooner I could return to my Calleigh, and the victim would finally have justice. All in all, not a bad day.

Later, I discovered that Calleigh had left the hospital. I managed to track her down to the morgue, and saw her hugging Eric, telling him she was glad he was back. He went to kiss her, and she turned her face away. When Eric questioned her the reason why, her response made my heart sing. "I've moved on, Eric."

Our relationship, growing since a few months after Eric left, was still going slow. I still wasn't sure whether or not you could consider us 'going out'. We had dinner here and there, a few lunch dates, a few breakfast dates, most of the weekends we spent together, but nothing more than that. Both of us, more comfortable with going slow, were quite happy with the arrangement, or at least I was.

Calleigh spotted me in the doorway, and the grin I suspected she reserved for me only flashed on her face. Eric followed her eyes and stood there in stunned silence. Calleigh gently eased out of his arms and walked over to me.

My own grin spread across my face as she slipped her arms around my neck and buried her face in my chest. I pulled her against my chest, breathing in her smell deeply. Gently she pulled back, and I touched my forehead to hers, needing the contact.

I had come close, so close to losing her. I could foresee more instances where she will be in danger.

What I did not foresee was Calleigh stretching up, touching her sweet lips to mine. I, stunned, paused for a moment, but the shock passed me by quickly and I gently pulled her closer, one hand buried deep in her long golden locks, the other pressing her body to mine.

"Let's go home, Handsome," Her words, her voice, musically, came to my ears. Slowly I nodded, and she linked her right hand with my left and together we exited the crime lab and into my Hummer.

Home turned out to be my house, and when I had parked, unlocked the front door and the pair of us had stepped inside, I pulled Calleigh close and murmured,

"I love you, Calleigh."

"I love you too, Horatio."

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The end! I just watched the new episode, and when Horatio shouted "Calleigh!" I was like "OMG!!!" That sparked this story, and when I got completely upset that Eric got the scenes that Horatio totally should've had, this story was born. I don't usually write in first person, but this seemed perfect for it. Hopefully did justice to the intent of this story! Let me know how I did, and thanks so much for reading! Adios!


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